Harry Potter and the Chromosonal Potion
by Adam Douglas
Summary: What happens when a potion changes Harry's gender? Pretty straight foward, give it a shot! Erm... not a slash! updated 6.17.05 with chapter 9... 6.18.05 updated with chapter 10.
1. Potions midterms

Harry Potter and the Cromosonal Potion 

Disclaimer: Insert standard disclaimer here that states what everyone knows. J. K. Rowling is the genius behind the Harry Potter series; I'm just a shmo.

Update info for 3/8/04 ----- Hello everyone and thank you for your kind reviews! I want to try and explain why errors went unfixed and why no updates have been posted. When I first uploaded the 3 chapters, it wasn't long before mysteriously my connection wouldn't work in I tried to reload the site and relogin but it told me the login had been disabled for a few hours, and to come back in a little bit. This went on for roughly 36 hours or so, depite having already fixed most of the errors throughout the 3 chapters. Then it came time for me to leave on a 3 day trip to megacon in florida, so I've been gone and away from my PC for the past 3 days. I'm sorry for the lateness of the updates and corrections, however I did try to explain my problem in the reviews section, though I think by in large most people missed it. / Oh well, please enjoy the corrections, and the updates.

Adam

Author's note: This story takes place around the middle of Harry's last term of his 5th year. I'm tempted at the end of this to begin a "sixth book" since my love of the Harry Potter series is in rabid anticipation for the final two installments, but I can't see myself work too hard to try and match Rowling's ability for mystery and intrigue since it would be a losing battle.

* * *

Harry wrinkled his nose in distaste as he followed the corridors to Snape's classroom to partake in his least of favorite subjects: Potions. Hermione and Ron walked with him oblivious to his apparent displeasure with their next class, as they were busy with what Harry could only assume was considering their own displeasure's with various degrees of foreboding. Snape had announced rather abruptly at the conclusion of their last meeting that their next class would be a midterms exam. The focus of this exam is what made Harry feel all the more dread: Individual projects.

They were assigned to bring the required ingredients of a potion of their choosing and be graded on the level of difficulty and success of their choice. Harry could already see how the test would be overly biased, as Crabbe and Goyle could sooner paint the Mona Lisa, as bake a mud pie, yet he was sure they would pass. He, on the other hand as Snape's personal whipping boy, was doomed before he began.

Harry let a long-winded sigh, which seemed to finally catch Hermione's attention and she gave a reproachful look. "Oh, it's not that bad, Harry! Just go in there and make your potion. I'm sure you'll do fine! Snape can't flunk you if your potion is at least correct."

"Wanna bet?" Harry quipped.

"What's with the rat, Hermione?" Ron asked, not particularly fond of rodents anymore.

"It has to do with testing the results of my potion, so you'll see."

Ron gave a meaningful glance at Harry.

They rounded the corner to Snape's classroom to catch sight of Harry's most favorite of people. "Well well, if it isn't Potter and his faithful companions."

"Well well, if it isn't Malfoy delivering yet another redundant greeting," Hermione retorted. "You need a new line, Draco."

"Nobody asked your opinion, mudblood," Malfoy sneered.

Harry noticed Ron ball his fist and gave a warning squeeze to his shoulder. "Stuff it Malfoy," he began, but noticed Snape emerge from his office and without another word pulled Ron after him into the classroom, with Hermione following after.

Snape called for quiet, which as usual was unnecessary, as each student was seated and perfectly still, and began to review the requirements of their exam.

"As you all well know, today is your midterm exam. You were to prepare the ingredients necessary prior to this class and have them on hand to create a potion of your choosing. You will be graded on the level of difficulty of your potion and your results. Now..." Snape paused to give a sweeping look about the class. "Let us see if you've learned anything." He gave a final glance at Harry at these words. "You may begin."

The class began to dig into their bags and extract the ingredients for each of their chosen projects. Harry had decided to keep the difficulty level of his to an average level to make sure he could pull it off perfect. It was a potion Snape had shown them only a semester before to cure Bungadill hives. It wasn't Harry's idea of a picnic as this meant he had to bring a tonic to produce bungadill hives, but it had been one of the better potions he could be sure to concoct.

He gave side-glances to Ron and Hermione, as they began to empty the ingredients into their cauldrons. Ron had informed him that he was going to attempt a hair growth tonic, which was supposed to make the hair on your head grow long. While the difficulty level was somewhat lower than Harry's, he was sure to get it right. Hermione on the other hand had said her potion was a secret and would offer nothing more to their inquiries.

As Harry continued to add the ingredients to his potion in the specified order, he kept finding himself distracted as Malfoy would continuously snicker and whisper between Crabbe and Goyle. It didn't take long to locate the source of their glee as he caught sight of Neville's potion. Harry couldn't begin to speculate on what it was supposed to be, but judging by it's appearance and the look of doom Neville seemed to radiate, he could be sure it wasn't coming along well. Neville appeared to sense that it was him, Malfoy was laughing at and apparently was making it more difficult for him to continue.

"Why don't you shut it, Malfoy." Harry whispered flatly, trying to make sure his voice didn't carry to Snape.

"Mind your own business Potter," Malfoy drawled. "I wouldn't want to see you get distracted and ruin your precious potion. What exactly is it anyway, something to perhaps shrink your over-sized head?" Crabbe and Goyle guffawed at Malfoy's insult.

"Actually I was working on weasel repellent, but since your still here, I must not be finished."

Malfoy glared daggers at Harry, and Harry was quick to return the gesture.

"Ignore them Harry." Harry heard Hermione whisper.

"I know, I know," he acknowledged, deflated.

"Neville, don't add that yet, add the suffragia pepper first." Hermione called out of the corner of her mouth. Harry felt a bit amazed that she had figured out what it was he was trying to make.

"Uh... Right." Neville answered. Malfoy and his two goons crowed louder at Neville's apparent confusion.

"Leave him alone," Harry snapped sharply in a harsh whisper at Malfoy.

"And whose going to make me?" Malfoy asked slyly. "You?"

"Harry don't," Ron warned.

"Yes Potter, you wouldn't want to get hurt. Why try anything rash and you might just trip over your fat-head."

Ron noticed Harry's face grow red.

"Neville," Malfoy called in mock concern. "I think you dropped your sheep's tongue in the floor." Neville turned to look, giving Crabbe just enough time to switch one of Neville's ingredients with something that looked similar.

Hermione gasped when she saw what it was and tried to warn Neville, but he didn't seem to hear as he reached for it and began to drop it in.

"Neville don't!" Harry cried out and bolted from behind his desk to Neville's side, but was too late. Neville dropped in the ingredient, which caused his potion to blow outward knocking Harry back into Hermione's desk bringing her concoction down on top of him, her cauldron striking him in the head. A small whiz of something created from Neville's potion flew through the air knocking into Ron's cauldron sending it splashing to the floor and onto Harry. Harry blacked out.

That's chapter one! For now the chapters are pretty short, but they may get longer as I see fit.

Adam


	2. Changes What!

A wash of different feelings began to instantly attack Harry's senses as he slowly began to regain consciousness. First of those feelings was headache and nausea. Everything felt wrong suddenly and his muddled thoughts could only silently warn him that waking up was not a good idea. He could hear hurried whispers bounce back and forth between two people that as he regained awareness could identify as Ron and Hermione.  
  
Slowly he slid his eyes open, noticing at once that he was in the common room, and lying on one of the couches close to the great fireplace. Hermione noticed him first and fell into silence as she studied him with baited breath. Ron was quick to follow and Harry noticed with an air of warning that the look of concern each mirrored wasn't an entirely good thing, something was wrong.  
  
Ron, Harry noticed as an after thought, seemed to be examining him even more intently then Hermione, as though something seemed to be keenly interesting to him.  
  
"Harry," Hermione spoke finally, a faux smile pasted on her face. "I'm so glad your all right." She gave a quick glance to Ron. Harry didn't miss the gesture. "Er... How do you feel?"  
  
"Wrong," Harry answered simply and felt a pit well up in his stomach. His voice hadn't sounded right. It didn't sound like him at all. Whose voice was it?  
  
"Right," Hermione answered. "About that..." The more Harry's senses awoke, and the more fluster he sensed from Hermione the more he felt himself worry.  
  
"You hadn't by chance heard of something called the chromosonal potion have you?" She asked finally.  
  
Harry shook his head that he had not, too afraid to hear his voice again to respond verbally.  
  
"I.. figured as much..." she cast another look as Ron. Harry could feel the other shoe was about to drop, and wished with all his heart that he could somehow avoid it completely. "The potion, er the chromosonal potion was what I was doing for midterms... It's umm, well... A," Hermione mumbled the rest way too low for Harry to catch.  
  
"what?" Harry asked wincing at the voice that was not his.  
  
"A potion that changes," Hermione yet again mumled the rest.  
  
"Changes what?" Harry winced again.  
  
"Changes your (mumble)."  
  
"Changes WHAT?!!" Harry shouted finally his last nerve exhausted. He leapt off the couch in exasperation at Hermione's inability to realize his nerves were on end. The sudden motion caused him to again feel how wrong things felt, and finally looked down at himself. "Oh..." He said simply as he slumped back into the couch wide eyed in shock.  
  
"Gender," Hermione finally answered in a whisper. 


	3. So, I'm a girl

"I'm... a girl?" Harry asked in a hushed almost pleading tone.  
  
Hermione nodded.  
  
"But... how?"  
  
"The chromosonal potion, like I said. It changes someone's gender."  
  
"Can I change back?"  
  
"Oh oh, sure!" Hermione confirmed with a smile. "Sorta..." she added almost as an afterthought.  
  
"Sorta?" Harry's eyes narrowed.  
  
"Well yeah... umm..."  
  
"Look," Harry said as she put her head in her hands and let a long mournful sigh. "Hermione, sit down and tell me everything."  
  
Obligingly, Hermione sat down opposite Harry, in a recliner. "Well.. It's like this. The chromosonal potion is a potion developed by the Chinese and was often used as a form of punishment and humiliation to captured soldiers during times of war. Basically they'd take these guys manhood and then hand them over to their armies, to umm... have their way with. The chromosonal potion is life altering as the ingredient known as chimera powder will only work once on a human in their lifetime. In other words, you can't have the chomosonal potion used on you and then use it again to change yourself back." Harry felt like she was going to throw up. "It is however conducive to one rule. The reason chimera powder only works once, is once it touches your skin it never leaves. It becomes a part of you. But it only works when activated by cold water. If it's touched by warm water, it deactivates. So if someone under the spell of the chomosonal potion were to be splashed with warm water they would revert back to their original gender."  
  
"So I can change back?!" Harry asked regaining a sense of hope.  
  
"Well yeah... but."  
  
"But what?.."  
  
"Only until the next time you're splashed with cold water. You'll... turn back into a girl. That's the full story of the chromosonal potion."  
  
"So, I'm stuck with this... this –curse-, forever?!!"  
  
"I'm sorry, Harry." Harry could see Hermione begin to tear up, and felt herself beginning to do the same. "I... I didn't mean to, I've never heard of a cure for it. It's like I said, once chimera powder touches your skin it's a part of you, and any other spell that uses it won't work. I really didn't mean to, I'm so so very sorry!" Hermione was breaking fully into tears now. "Please forgive me!"  
  
Harry could feel tears rolling down her face and wondered silently why it was so hard to stop them. "It's... It's not your fault Hermione," Harry admitted, though as hard as it was. "It was Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle who made Neville's potion explode, and my own fault for charging in like that."  
  
"No, no, it was my own stupid fault for attempting such a radical potion. I should've stuck to what Snape has been teaching us. I'm so sorry Harry!" Hermione finally burst into sobs and fled from the room in tears.  
  
Harry found her attention finally settle on Ron as she noticed that he had failed to say a thing since she had awoke.  
  
Ron looked to feel quite uncomfortable under her gaze. "Er... I'm really sorry about what happened."  
  
Harry wiped at her eyes. "You know it wasn't your fault Ron, no need to be sorry."  
  
"No, I'm just saying... you know, sorry and all that it happened."  
  
"What did Snape say?" Harry finally asked.  
  
"Well, umm. He gave Hermione an 'O'. 'Said her potion was certainly a difficult one and seemed to work out perfectly." Harry gave Ron a small glare, that wasn't exactly what she had meant. Ron was quick to plow ahead, however. "The cad, he seemed actually pleased. I'm sure he was being nice to Hermione because of where the potion had landed. He um.. Gave me a E." He said rather sheepishly.  
  
Harry arched her eyebrows in question.  
  
"Well I don't know if you noticed but your hair is down your back."  
  
Harry glanced about and pulled her hair around so she could see it. Sure enough it was long straight and dark brunette.  
  
"Professor Snape gave it a 'E' because when he took a snip of it, it grew back. It's erm, not supposed to do that." Harry's eyes grew wide. "No NO! I mean, it's not permanent or nothin. It just needs time to wear off. Snape said probably a month.  
  
"He said Neville could have a 'A' but he had to stay after class and clean up the mess."  
  
"And me?" Harry growled the question knowing that whatever it was, it wouldn't be good.  
  
"He uh, said that you were to meet him at 5 o clock tonight to discuss your detention." Ron said with downcast eyes.  
  
"ME?!!" Harry shouted. "That bastard!"  
  
"Yeah tell me about it," Ron said. "I tried to protest in your defense, I mean it was 100% Malfoy's fault, but he cut me short and told me to keep quiet if I didn't want to share your punishment. He added that I would like it even less than you."  
  
Harry felt her face flush. She was so mad she could spit. It was bad enough she appeared to have a curse she could never get rid of but to top it off Snape had the gall to blame it on her and make her serve detention. The unfairness made her want to strike someone, preferably Malfoy and Snape.  
  
-----------------------------------------------  
  
---- Yes the curse is nearly identical to Ranma 1/2 ... Blah blah.. =P  
  
-Adam 


	4. detention

Harry walked the long winding corridor's from the Gryfindor common room to Snape's office, dreading all the while the scheduled encounter with his least favorite teacher. An impenetrable cloud of doom seemed to hover above and follow him as he walked alone and in silence.  
  
To a certain degree of relief he had discovered Hermione right in her assessment that the curse was triggered by warm and cold water, and thus maintained a small remnant of his dignity as he trotted the last few halls to the potion master's office, though it didn't help that his hair was still so long that it fell down his back in long straight locks. He had managed as best he could and simply tied it back with a piece of cord.  
  
As he found himself reviewing the day in his mind, he kept thinking how amazing it was to him the differences between the two genders that he was sure not many people ever had the misfortune of discovering. He wasn't sure if he'd ever get used to that side of himself.  
  
He found the office of his foreboding and destination and came to a stop just outside the doors hesitant to knock; yet all the same wanting with all his might to get this over with. Snape was ruthless. It was made worse by the tiny incident not too long ago where Snape had discovered Harry browsing through his worst memories, all thanks to Dumbledore's pensieve. This was not likely to be a pleasant experience.  
  
Harry finally knocked.  
  
"Come," was the simple response he received, and he pushed through the doors into Professor Snape's office.  
  
"Well Potter, so good to see Ms. Granger has explained to you the properties of the chromosonal potion." Snape remarked upon seeing Harry was again male. "I hope it wasn't too difficult to get your head around." He sneered.  
  
"You wanted to see me," Harry asked trying to ignore the goading Snape was attempting. He was sure Snape would just love even more reason to slap more detention time on him.  
  
"Yes Potter, have a seat."  
  
Harry took a seat opposite to Snape and waited with baited breathe for Snape to begin.  
  
"I assume Ms. Granger explained to you the finite details of what makes her potion so interesting?" Harry nodded feeling his anger well up as he noticed the flick of a smile this topic seemed to generate. "Anything you want to ask me?" Snape finally asked.  
  
Harry thought a moment and realized indeed there was something he wished to ask despite his dislike of Snape. "Is there any way at all to cure this?"  
  
"None," Snape answered with a grin. "Perhaps now you'll be a bit more cautious before you decide to play around in my class."  
  
"There's got to be some sort of way?" Harry pleaded swallowing his pride in the face of Snape who he could tell was enjoying every minute of this.  
  
"No Potter there isn't, if there were, despite my feelings on the matter I would have already procured you one."  
  
Harry could feel his last grain of hope draining away, and it made it all the worse that this was exactly something Snape could take real pleasure in.  
  
"Now for your detention," Snape said as he reached behind his desk.  
  
"It was Malfoy who made Neville's potion blow up!" Harry snapped furiously.  
  
"I don't want to hear your pathetic excuses. It's fine time you reap the rewards of your own foolishness." Snape's face contorted in anger at Harry's outburst and upon seeing no further argument pulled a bundle of clothing from behind his desk.  
  
"What's this?" Harry asked feeling his gut clench in dread.  
  
"Your new uniform," Snape said with a smile. "You're going to wear this for a week."  
  
Upon closer examination Harry could see why Snape was taking so much joy in this; the uniform was a girls. "I can't wear this!" He said outraged. "You can't do this!"  
  
"You can and you will!" Snape answered. "I have the full support of the head mistress, who urged me to make it a permanent sentence. And believe me Potter, I only declined as I'm sure you'd eventually enjoy it."  
  
Harry could feel his blood boil in anger, "I'm not going to spend an entire week as a girl!" He spat.  
  
"Fine," Snape snapped. "Do as you wish, however you –will- wear that uniform! Oh and one other thing, you have been banned from the boys dormitory. Your stuff will be relocated to the girls.  
  
Harry found himself incapable of speech. This was madness! How could he possibly sleep in the girls' dormitory? Snape wouldn't get away with this if Professor Dumbledore were here! Harry so wished the headmaster would return. This was a nightmare!  
  
"Now get out of my sight, Potter! And if I find you attend even one class without wearing that uniform I will seriously consider Headmistress Umbridge's request."  
  
Harry snatched up the uniform and stormed out of Snape's classroom. He was so furious he didn't know what he was going to do. 


	5. Banned already!

Harry was quick to storm back to the common room and stopped only at the fat lady who cast him an annoyingly suspicious eye. "Password?"  
  
"Buggar!" Harry spat.  
  
"I beg your pardon," The painting said in shock. "Young man, watch your language.  
  
Harry was not in the mood. "It's –your- password! If –you- don't like it, change it!"  
  
"Oh..." The painting said, casting a sidelong glance to see if anyone else had seen their exchange. "Right, I suppose it is," She said as she began to open up.  
  
Harry stepped through the doorway hearing the fat lady mumble that he didn't have to say it so violently.  
  
Ron and Hermione were both waiting for him, though as Ron seemed to be anxious, Hermione seemed reserved and un-talkative, as he passed by she didn't so much as look at him.  
  
"Harry?" Ron asked as Harry walked by and began to head up to the boys' dormitory. Harry remained silent, too afraid of what might come out of his mouth. He was so mad he wanted to break something.  
  
As he began his march up the stairs, he only made it halfway before the stairway collapsed and he fell backwards to the floor below. "ALREADY?!!" He shouted in anger. He had seen that happen once before, as Ron had foolishly charged up into the girls' dormitory once only to find himself on his back. Yet Hermione was able to enter the boys dormitory which meant this was a direct result of his banning.  
  
Harry struck the wall with his fist. Which served only to generate a severe amount of pain in his hand. The other few kids who were in the common room kept uncommonly silent as they watched Harry.  
  
"Harry what's going on?" Ron finally asked.  
  
Hermione, Harry noticed, was still not looking at him, nor did she seem surprised at his apparent inability to climb the dorm steps to his room.  
  
"Snape," Harry hissed. "He's having a field-day with this curse!"  
  
It seemed to dawn on Ron just what Harry was meaning and his eyes got wide. "You can't mean... He wants you to sleep in the girls... I mean that's- That's the girls- and your... Well I mean- they can't possibly mean for you... buggar." Ron finally concluded. Harry couldn't agree more.  
  
"And this," Harry said as he opened up the bundle of clothes for Ron to see.  
  
"Girls uniform?"  
  
"Yeah, Snape said I had to wear it to every one of my classes for a solid week."  
  
"He's making you stay a girl?" Ron asked in horror.  
  
"Oh no," Harry remarked humorlessly. "He said I could wear it whichever way I choose," Harry seemed to want to strike something again. "Same as my dorm, really. I have the option to remain a boy, but if I want to get to my stuff and sleep in a bed I have to turn into a girl to climb those steps. And If I want to save as much face as I can when attending class I'll have to do it as a girl. I can't believe this!"  
  
"That's mad!" Ron outburst mirroring Harry's feelings. "That bastard. Just because his mum didn't breastfeed him, he doesn't have to take it out on others." Ron sneered.  
  
Harry smiled at this. If anyone could make him feel better, it'd have to be Ron.  
  
"Where do you suppose that pervert got a girl's uniform from anyway?" Ron asked, bringing to mind a question Harry had overlooked. Ron failed to notice Hermione put her head in her hand. "You don't suppose he had one on hand, do you?"  
  
"It's not important," Harry answered, having already surmised where such a uniform may have come from.  
  
Ron shrugged. "So, it's about time to head down to the great hall for dinner right? I'm starving!"  
  
Harry inwardly smiled at how quickly Ron could change topics. "Yeah let's go, come on Hermione." Hermione finally looked up and seemed to realize Harry's expression had finally calmed down. She nodded wordlessly and stood to follow. 


	6. The great hall

As Harry entered the great hall accompanied by Ron and Hermione he immediately noticed the stares and whispers. Everyone appeared to have spotted his long ponytail, and the great hall was ripe with subtle pointing, whispers, and snickers, all of which he was sure were directed at him.  
  
"Come on Harry, might as well get this over with." Ron said as they joined the gryfindor table.  
  
The food was decent, or at least Harry assumed it was, as he hadn't much an appetite. Ron engaged him in small talk at which he was grateful for any reason to take his mind off the current situation. Hermione though, kept mostly to herself speaking only when spoken to, and otherwise being quiet. It was a little unnerving for Harry to see her that way. He was used to her giving detailed accounts of inane things they'd rather not discuss, from her day in class, to a fascinating spell she had discovered.  
  
"Harry, umm, you alright then?" Dean Thomas who was sitting just a few seats down asked in rather concerned low tones.  
  
Harry nodded. "I'm fine, though things aren't looking so swell."  
  
"I heard you got kicked out of the boys dormitory, that's not true is it?"  
  
Harry felt his cheeks redden, "Yeah, it's true."  
  
"You really going to sleep in the girl's dormitory then?" Dean asked sounding a bit incredulous at the idea.  
  
"I don't know what I'm going to do, Dean. Though turning Snape and Malfoy into some sort of rodent is starting to sound more and more appealing."  
  
"What was that, Harriet? I thought I heard my name?" Harry felt his nerves grind as Malfoy approached him from behind with thugs Crabbe and Goyle flanking him.  
  
"Shut it Malfoy, unless you want to share a similar fate."  
  
"Yeah blow off," Ron suggested.  
  
"Go back to the slytherin table, Malfoy. Nobody asked you here," Dean followed.  
  
"Now now, Harriet no need to get upset. Just because you're a girl and I still won't date you doesn't mean we can't be friends." Crabbe and Goyle guffawed loudly.  
  
"I said piss off Malfoy," Harry retorted, losing his cool.  
  
"Careful Potter, I'm a prefect after all. I'm sure I could get another week stacked on to your punishment."  
  
Harry's face was burning red. His fingers were aching to grab his wand.  
  
"Aww is ittle Harriet getting upset?" Malfoy taunted. "Maybe you can date Crabbe or Goyle then?"  
  
Harry pulled out his wand and was half a second from jinxing Malfoy from here to hell and back, but was too late as Malfoy had been waiting for this moment from the start. He pulled his arms from behind his back and drenched Harry with a cup of water he had been hiding.  
  
Harry felt a small strange feeling stretch like lightening through his body and his viewpoint was lowered several inches from loss in height.  
  
The entire great hall seemed to quiet as several hundred eyes glued to her. Fierce whispers followed by snickers and in larger quantities laughing, which came mostly from the slytherin table, seemed to echo through Harry's ears. It was too much; she couldn't control herself. Her emotions were too unpredictable, too powerful to subdue as she had done many times before as a boy. She could feel herself tearing up which was the last thing she wanted to do in front of Malfoy; cry.  
  
Malfoy roared with laughter, and Harry found herself doing something for the second time that year. She decked Malfoy.  
  
Malfoy fell back to the floor clutching his cheek, and Crabbe and Goyle quickly reached to pick him up. Harry couldn't take it anymore, and fled from the hall back toward the common room, all the time considering how to get out of there. She needed to leave, go anywhere, but definitely away from Hogwarts. She wanted desperately to return to Grimmauld place, back to her godfather, back to Sirius who understood her.  
  
As she reached the common room and flung herself through the doorway she made a leap for the stairs to the dormitory and once again was flung from them as she had forgotten in her haste that she was banned from the boys' dormitory. She made for the girls' dormitory intent to simply go in and grab her stuff to leave on foot if need-be, but stopped at the foot of the stairs as her thoughts cleared slightly and she began to realize she hadn't the slightest idea where to go. Despair began to well up inside her and she slid in a heap to the bottom most step, where she could contain herself no longer, and began to cry. She was trapped. 


	7. alone in a birds nest

Harry sat quietly beside the open window of the dark owlery lost in thought. The room itself was mostly still and quiet, since the majority of the owls were out hunting, though Harry had found Hedwig still perched on one of the higher rafters and had easily coaxed her down. It was somewhat of a relief for Harry to discover Hedwig still knew who she was, and was rather indifferent to the situation.  
  
So as Harry whiled away the time casting long thoughtful looks into the depthless night sky through the owlery window, she would reach up to Hedwig who now sat perched on her shoulder and give her a treat. Hedwig was not complaining.  
  
It had been her original intent to write Sirius, was why she had first found herself in the large room that served as hundreds of owls nest. Though once again common sense had butt in and she was forced to rethink her actions. Now was not the time to be writing her godfather, nor any member of the order, lest Hedwig get intercepted and hurt as what seemed to have happened the last time her owl was out.  
  
So as she sat defeated amongst the owls in the dark, she had found something of a refuge in the quiet, large room. The sky was already a brilliant wash of tiny angelic pinpricks, giving Harry a small glimpse of just how infinite the universe really was. Were she to consider herself in the cosmic scheme of things, she was less than a pinprick. She wasn't even comparable to a grain of sand. Up against something so huge and magnificent as the starry galaxies that shined down upon the earth, lighting the night sky, Harry could find a small sense of relief. Her curse was nothing compared to it. Her life was but a short flicker amongst the billions of stars that had been before, and would remain after her. Something as silly as a single individuals problem with gender, was not something that mattered.  
  
Harry reached up and felt Hedwig snatch another treat from her hand. In the cosmic scheme of things... She repeated in her mind.  
  
The door to the owlery gently opened and Harry heard the sound of someone else entering into the room. Their footsteps were light upon the wooden floor, and Harry strained to adjust her eyes to the shadow-filled interior of the room in hopes to locate the source of the steps.  
  
"Hello, Harry," Came a familiar voice, the speaker stepping into the light cast from the sky outside.  
  
"Hello Ginny," Harry answered simply.  
  
"Everyone's looking for you, you know," Ginny said in a quiet concerned voice. "Ron, Hermione, even several people from the DA are helping."  
  
"Well, you found me," Harry said with a small sad smile. "I don't mean to worry everyone... I just needed some time to myself. How did you know where to look for me, anyway?" Harry finally asked.  
  
"I borrowed this." Ginny explained as she held the marauder's map before Harry. Harry couldn't remember ever having shown it to Ginny and wondered how it was she knew of it; let alone how to use it.  
  
Ginny seemed to sense the unasked question written on Harry's face and smiled sheepishly. "I've heard Fred and George speak of it loads of times in the past, and I remembered you with it from the DA meetings. And since it –was- in the girls' dormitory I didn't think you would mind if I –brought- it to you." Ginny said with a smile. "I'm really surprised Ron or Hermione didn't think of it," she added.  
  
"So why didn't you tell them," Harry asked in a somewhat annoyed tone.  
  
Ginny shrugged. "Would you have liked me to?"  
  
"Not really," Harry admitted truthfully. The thought of Ron and Hermione pestering her all at once, didn't really appeal.  
  
Ginny nodded, "I thought not."  
  
Harry smiled back, thankful.  
  
"Your friends are here with you, Harry." Ginny said after a moments pause. "We all know how hard this must be for you, but..." Ginny paused, as if looking for the right words. "Well, this isn't exactly the end of the world now is it?"  
  
"No," Harry agreed. "It's not."  
  
"Right, then." Ginny said, somewhat relieved to hear Harry say so. "If you... need an ear, we're here for you... I'm here."  
  
Harry nodded her thanks, truthfully.  
  
"Oh and... I found this too, figured maybe you might want it if... Y'know; you were planning on being late." Ginny said as she produced a bundle of cloth and handed it to Harry along with the marauder's map. Harry discovered Ginny had brought her, her cloak of invisibility.  
  
Harry took the cloak with genuine appreciation. "Thanks, Ginny."  
  
"It's no problem Harry, and..." She seemed to struggle with her words again before finally, "You –do- make a pretty girl, you know."  
  
Harry said nothing, not quite sure how to take the compliment. "Well then, I'll be leaving now."  
  
"What will you tell the others?" Harry asked as Ginny turned to leave the owlery.  
  
Ginny shrugged. "If they ask, I'll say we should probably leave you alone for now."  
  
Harry smiled again, and Ginny left the owlery without another word. Hedwig nipped at Harry's ear, clearly indignant that she had stopped feeding her treats. Harry handed her another and looked back out at the night sky. She wasn't going to let this curse beat her. She was still Harry Potter. Girl or boy, it didn't matter. 


	8. “Umm, g’nite then, Harry,”

It was well after midnight when Harry finally found herself cursing once again at the fatlady who sleepily retorted, "same to you," and proceeded to open up.

The common room was empty save the brilliant fire that raged in the large fireplace and Harry cautiously made her way to the stairs to the girls' dormitory. She was just going to check it out, she told herself.

It felt to her like her legs were made of lead as she began her slow ascent up the stairway. Her breathing felt ragged. A small voice inside her head, that she could not silence, kept telling her how wrong this was. This was the –girls'- dormitory. She had no business going to the girls' dormitory and yet the barrier that would have denied her entrance all those times in the past was letting her slip unmolested up the stairs and into the girls' sleeping quarters.

She finally cleared the steps and made her way slowly and silently down the hallway checking at the names posted at each door, in search for the name that was sure to look out of place. Her heart pounded at her chest. She couldn't escape the very real feeling that what she was doing was somehow dirty. Guys weren't supposed to sneak into the girls' dormitory and yet here she was.

After a dozen rooms or so she finally encountered the room. Lavender, Parvati, Alicia, Hermione, and... Harry...

Harry stood, eyes transfixed on the nameplates written on the door. The name looked even more out of place than she had expected, but that was perhaps due in part to the fact that she had only half expected to see her name. This all felt too much like a dream suddenly. She was as out of place here as her name was, and yet here she stood, staring wide-eyed at the door that stood between her and four girls, all asleep.

It felt like an eternity that Harry stood like an immobilized deer on the other side of her new room. She so wished none of this had ever happened. She should be sleeping in her old room with Ron, Neville, Seamus and Dean, as a boy. She shouldn't have had to endure this. This wasn't right, and the only person she couldn't seem to find any blame was herself. It just wasn't fair.

Neville with his poor ability at potions, coupled with Malfoy's bullying, and Hermione's need to always go way above and beyond the call of duty, for what Harry could only assume was to prove herself, and Snape's sincere hatred of her. Where was her blame? Why did this sort of thing always happen to her? Was she being punished for some unknown wrong she committed in a past life? It didn't make any sense...

Finally after several moments Harry cleared her mind of these destructive thoughts. If she continued to dwell on the matter she'd stop moving. She had to continue to move forward, or she'd find herself incapable to do so.

Harry let a long hard sigh, and without another thought she pushed herself through the door.

The room was quiet with the exception of several small breaths that she could hear only when she strained herself. The light from the nearby window cast a dim glow throughout the room and Harry finally located a four- poster that's curtains lay open. Concluding that this must be hers she wearily made her way to the bed and carefully lowered herself down into the bed.

She lay there only a moment before a strong sense of warning began to overcome her. She heard the door to the room push open again and was tensed to discover who could possibly be entering in the room after her. But just as she could make out the image of the silhouette of someone, something wrapped around her causing her to jump with a yelp.

A sudden fit of shifting occurred in her bed and Harry realized she was not alone. Suddenly a sharp cry rang out from under the covers and Harry felt herself violently being pushed from the bed. She felt her breath catch as she was pushed off the bed and reached out blindly with her hands to catch hold of the curtain to quickly steady her fall. She heard a scream and felt a body collapse on top of her.

Harry's heart beat hard against her chest as she struggled in the floor with someone. She was getting beat and felt someone grab at her hair and take a great yank, which made her holler out loud in pain.

Harry grabbed at the wrist of her assailant and pulled them into a roll placing herself on top of the unknown stranger and pinned them against the floor. Though as she managed to subdue them she felt a kick to her shoulder from the person still in the bed knocking her over. The stranger now freed was quick to their feet and forced Harry into much the same position she had had them in only seconds ago. Harry called out in panic as she found herself pinned to the floor.

"Lumos" A voice called.

The room came into focus as a light from the bed nearby lit the room. Harry gasped as she discovered she had a rather disheveled and very naked Lavender Brown pinning her to the floor. Lavender's face seem to be as equally shocked and amazed to be staring down at what she had recently discovered to be a female Harry Potter.

Hermione's voice was the first to be heard, and Harry discovered it was she holding the lit wand. "What in the world," was all she could manage.

Harry was having a very hard time piecing her mind together as this was one of the first times she had ever seen a young girl naked, let alone having one on top of her. Finally she managed to form a sentence in her mind and tried to speak it, "Lavender, your kinda heavy."

Lavender's eyes seem to grow even larger, and as if her thoughts hit her all at once she jumped as quickly as she could from Harry and into and through the curtains of her four-poster bed. Harry picked herself off the floor and peered into the bed she had first lay in to discover Parvati looking almost as amazed at Harry as Lavender had.

"I'm..." Harry attempted, though sounding quite a bit flustered. "I'm sorry, I thought this was my bed." Parvati, eyes still wide, shook her head, 'no' which was quite apparent to Harry at this moment. Harry found a slightly torn nightdress in the floor and suddenly it dawned on her what must've happened. "I'm real sorry Lavender... I... I grabbed out when I fell down and thought I had caught hold of the curtain. I didn't realize I had pulled your dress..." 'Off' Harry had almost finished but instead let the word die from her lips.

The room remained silent after this for a time. Harry glancing at each of the girls' faces feeling her face grow redder and redder by the moment. This was so humiliating. "Well then," Hermione attempted. "Er, Harry, I'm sure Lavender would like her dress back"

Harry stared down at the wadded dress in her hands and nearly tripped over herself to reach the bed Lavender had fled into and stuck the dress through the curtains. She felt the dress snatched from her hands, and looked around to find an empty bed underneath the window, much the same as the one she had had in her old room. She made her way to the bed and sat in it, the room still feeling as though it was sucking all the sound in the area. Alicia, Harry noticed, was also looking a bit shocked over these events.

"I'm really sorry." Harry offered again to the girls of the room, with downcast eyes.

Lavender at last stuck her head out from the curtains of her bed and grabbed at a wad of clothes and a bag, and without another word, left the room. The four remaining girls watched her go, and it wasn't but only a short moment later that Parvati grabbed much the same as Lavender and with a small apologetic smile to Harry, she left as well. Alicia looked over at Harry and Hermione and with a shrug said, "Don't take it the wrong way Harry, I just think I'm going to follow them." Harry said nothing as Alicia departed with much the same belongings as the two girls before her.

Harry glanced over at Hermione, silently wondering if Hermione was about to leave as well. But rather than grab her stuff Hermione extinguished her wand and lay back in her bed. "Umm, g'nite then, Harry," she said sounding a bit overwhelmed.

Harry stared back out into the night sky and repeated in her mind, 'In the cosmic scheme of things' as though it were a lifeline. She lay her head down into the pillow, and before she could think more on the matter, as she was sure she would do nothing else, she fell asleep almost instantly.


	9. morning after

**author's note-- 6-17-05 --I came back and decided to add a little. I'm not sure how I feel about this chapter, but I wanted to get it out there. --Adam

* * *

**

Harry's senses began to stir at the touch of something tickling his forehead. He could already tell, with what minimal consciousness he had regained, that his sleep had been rough; he felt tired. The tickling continued and Harry forced his eyes to part only slightly, as the light that greeted them burned.

Hermione Granger sat perched just to his side, apparently absorbed in tracing the small lightening bolt scar on his forehead with her finger. This immediately seemed odd to him, as he couldn't recall a time that Hermione had ever made much notice of it; rather she usually seemed to ignore it unless called to her attention. Further confusing to Harry was what she was doing in the boys' dormitory. Not that it was entirely unusual for her to do so, though Harry could at least attribute her past intrusions to something that she felt couldn't wait.

"Hermione," Harry mumbled, at which Hermione jumped as though stung and jerked her hand away. "Why are you in the boys' dormitory?"

Hermione seemed to consider the question before offering an uncomfortable smile, "I'm err, not Harry… You're in the- girl's dormitory."

It took Harry a few moments for the depth of Hermione's words to sink in, and then in an unpleasant flash the whole of the day before flooded back to him. He jerked up into a sitting position with a yelp, and glanced about frantically confirming his worst fears. He was no 'he' at all, he was in-fact a 'she'.

Harry sat transfixed as though paralyzed, while Hermione watched in silence as Harry came to terms yet again with her curse.

She was still a 'she'; it hadn't been a dream! She was in the girl's dormitory, sharing a room with Hermione, and suffering a detention ruthlessly devised by her most hated teacher, Snape!

Harry fell back into her pillow, with a painful sigh. It was all real, and she was stuck. She noticed Hermione still looking at her with a pitying look.

"It's the weekend then?" Harry finally asked.

"Yeah," Hermione answered simply. "Most of the students will be going to Hogsmeade today."

"Good I need something to take my mind off all this," Harry replied.

Hermione looked uncomfortable once more; "Actually you can't go, remember? Professor Umbridge banned you from going for the rest of the year."

Harry cursed aloud and rolled over in her bed. Hermione cast a reproachful look, "well your not just gonna stay in bed all weekend and mope?"

"Watch me," Harry retorted sourly. "Why'd you wake me up anyway, to gloat? I hope you and Ron have a real fun time."

Hermione's face darkened. "I'll have you know I had no intentions of visiting Hogsmeade this weekend!" She said angrily. "And I didn't wake you up!"

"Well I sure woke up when you were messin' with my scar."

Hermione drew up defensively, "I was… I was -not- messing with your scar!"

Harry bit her tongue to stop her next retort. She knew when Hermione had set herself to a lie she wasn't liable to budge from her story until she was good and ready. And Harry suddenly didn't feel it was worth fighting about.

"Well at any rate, I suppose I could sneak into Hogsmeade if I wanted." Harry thought aloud.

"Don't be silly Harry," Hermione remarked, appearing nevertheless relieved in the shift in topic. "You don't want to end up sleeping in the girls' dormitory for the rest of your time at Hogwarts."

Harry shrugged, " I dunno, I managed to snag a room almost all to myself within one night," She remarked bitterly reflecting on the previous nights events. "Might not be too bad!" Harry could tell Hermione could see through her sarcasm, but she looked worried at the remark all the same.

"Well since you -are- awake," Hermione switched topics once more. "It'd probably be best if we headed down to the Great Hall for some breakfast. I'm betting Ron is already in the common room waiting.

Harry nodded.

It didn't take Harry long to get ready, though Hermione did cast her a side-glance to notice she wasn't stripping beyond her boxers and undershirt. Harry had busied herself searching through her trunk for clothes when Hermione had finally asked, "Have you taken a bath since yesterday?" Harry's whole body tensed up at the question. She knew good and well why Hermione was asking her that, though she felt that question was borderline out of bounds. The only two Gryfindor washrooms were located in either dormitory, which meant that for Harry to have bathed, she would have had to do so as a girl.

"Er, no." Harry answered shyly.

"And what are you doing anyway?" Hermione asked immediately following Harry's answer. "Those clothes swallow you whole, you can barely keep them on." Harry looked down at the clothing that had once belonged to Dudley and was forced to admit she did look quite ridiculous, though with Hermione's interest in the matter, Harry only offered a shrug.

"You don't expect me to spend the weekend as a girl do you? They'll fit better when I can get some warm water."

"Well till then you best be careful, unless you feel like removing all doubt about just -how- female you've truly become." Harry blushed slightly at the mental image and then shook it from her mind.

"I'll be fine, I don't plan to leave the common-room till I get some warm water anyway."

Hermione still maintained an air of warning about her, but simply shrugged her indifference, "Don't come crying to me-" She sang softly as she turned to exit the room with Harry in tow.

True to Hermione's assumption, Ron was indeed waiting for them in the common room, looking a little anxious as Harry approached followed by Hermione. "Blimey Harry, is that you in there?" Ron had asked when taking note of Harry's oversized clothing. Harry gave Ron a narrowed look and took the cup of water from Hermione that she had acquired from the girls' washroom.

Harry glanced about noticing a minimal amount of students and inwardly shrugged, they were gonna have to get used to seeing this happen anyway. With that in mind Harry bent over and let the warm water slosh onto her head in such a way that her clothes remained dry. A small strange stretching feeling occurred and was gone as fast as Harry could notice it; And as she righted herself, 'she' was now a 'he'.

A few of the students around gave applause as though it had been a wonderful show, which Harry could only silently remark how they were all smart-asses.

That aside, Harry was feeling much better about things, He was a he, and had an entire weekend till he had to worry about the second half of Snape's punishment.

As they walked toward the Great Hall Harry noticed the stares and whispers were back once again following him wherever he went. After a few moments feeling entirely uncomfortable with himself, Harry turned a deaf ear to the chatter. He had had to endure this sort of treatment since his very first day at Hogwarts. Given the present direction of his life hewould probably endure it for it's remainder however long or short that might be.

It wasn't long before they reached the Great Hall and sat down at the Gryfindor table for their breakfast. Harry found his appetite had resurfaced with a vengeance since not having much at dinner the night before. He dug into the food in front of him and felt a small sense of satisfaction. As he ravenously made quick work of his breakfast he began to consider how he might spend the day. He fancied he might just hang around the school a bit, maybe visit Hagrid, and perhaps walk over to the quiditch stadium and watch some of the flyers that were sure to be taking advantage of what was sure to be a nice day.

Halfway through their meal the mail owls made their pass through the hall and Hermione received a copy of The Daily Prophet. Ron had asked if there was anything of interest, to which Hermione had replied there were only several more reports and speculations as to what Sirius and his recent fellow reunited death eaters were up to. Also mentioned were several eyewitness accounts of having seen one or more of the listed wizards. Hermione sighed, "Rubbish."

Harry and Ron agreed. Not much else was said as they finished their meal and finally Ron looked up from his plate at Harry, "So what do you reckon you're gonna do today?"

Harry shrugged, "It's been a few days since we've visited Hagrid, I thought we might see what he was up to." Ron nodded his approval while Hermione didn't comment.

As they stood up together to leave, their meal finally concluded, Harry felt a young first year Ravenclaw girl bump into him, the drink she was holding spilling onto him. Harry bit back her frustration knowing full well what this meant, and seeing her fears confirmed in Ron and Hermione's eyes. The young girl looked at Harry with saucer wide eyes, "I'm- I'm real sorry!" She said in a small almost frightened voice.

Harry wearily made to tell the young girl not to worry, but was interrupted by Ron, "Watch where you're going munchkin," he snarled. "Five points from Ravenclaw!"

"Ron!" Hermione snapped. "It was an accident and you know it! Five points -to- Ravenclaw!"

"She wasn't even paying attention to where she was going, five points -FROM- Ravenclaw!"

"That's no excuse to punish her! TEN points -TO- Ravenclaw!"

"TEN!" Ron exclaimed incredulously.

"Stop it you two!" Harry snapped, having noticed the young Ravenclaw begin to tremble. A few of the students who had noticed Harry's change were again exchanging whispered remarks and in some cases snickering. Some of the Ravenclaw's Harry noticed were on the verge of speaking up for the young girl, before Harry had interjected. She was just glad Malfoy seemed to be absent from the room. "Look it's alright, it wasn't your fault." Harry offered the young girl, who seemed to calm slightly from the sincerity of Harry's voice.

Wanting nothing more than to change back as soon as she could, Harry grabbed a hold of her pants to make sure they didn't slide off as she walked, and passed by the young girl to exit the hall. As she maintained the lead of their trio Harry felt a headache begin to build as Hermione and Ron continued to argue over who was abusing their power. Spotting the bathroom she had been looking for Harry entered in through the door without a backward glance leaving Ron and Hermione to stare after.

She came to a stop at the very sink she had entered into the chamber of secrets from three years past and sighed. She had chosen this bathroom as it was least likely to have anyone in it, and she could change without making another spectacle.

Why were things getting so complicated, she wondered silently? Eventually after you stacked enough things on top of each other, they'd all come crashing down. Harry wondered darkly when she'd finally crash… After a long while of losing herself in thought Harry finally turned one of the faucets on and waited as the water turned hot. As she did so Moaning Myrtle poked her head out of her stall seemingly surprised to see someone using her bathroom.

"Who are you?" Myrtle asked simply, her voice sounding as though she had only moments before been crying. Harry certainly wasn't ruling out the possibility.

Harry looked over at Myrtle and gave her a simple, "Hello Myrtle," and continued to test the water for warmth, hoping that perhaps Myrtle would lose interest.

It wasn't but only a minute more that Myrtle gave a small smile, "It's you isn't it Harry!" Harry was a bit surprised Myrtle had made the connection so easy. "I remember you said you couldn't come in here to visit me because this was a girl's bathroom. So you went and turned yourself into a girl to come see me then?" Harry was slightly stunned by the presumptuous conclusion.

"Er, not exactly Myrtle though, you might could attribute the fact that I am a girl to why I'm er- visiting you."

"Oh," Myrtle answered forming a somewhat pouty expression. "So why then are you a girl?"

"That's a bit complicated," Harry answered hesitantly.

"Myrtle has all day, all night, all year, all-," Myrtle began to explain.

"Er yes, Myrtle," Harry interrupted. "It was a potion of Hermione's," she explained.

"Oh I see," Myrtle answered, having already seen the effects of one of Hermione's potions three years prior. Hermione had turned herself into a cat-girl. Myrtle opened her mouth to inquire more but Harry was quick to head her off.

"Look Myrtle I'm kinda in a hurry, so…" Harry took a large scoop of the warm water with her hands and dumped it over her head, feeling the change. Myrtle seemed suddenly very interested in the change but Harry gave her no chance to speak further on it, "Well, bye then!" he said as he pushed his way out of the bathroom.

As Harry entered back into the hall he found Hermione and Ron apparently had agreed to disagree on the matter as neither appeared in a very pleasant mood. But at their cease of arguing, Harry found their mood quite pleasant to him. "So anyway," he said ignoring their current attitude toward each other. "Let's go ahead and head down to Hagrid's; hope he's not out!"

They exited the school onto the grounds to be greeted by a warm and sunny day. Harry was determined to make the best of this weekend before school started back and he had to spend an entire week in a girl's uniform. Just thinking about it was enough to dampen his day, so he quietly resolved not to.

He noticed as he skimmed the lake that the grounds seemed rather vacant, much like the school. It reminded him of holidays at Hogwarts, when most of the students go home to spend time with their families, a luxury he had never held in high regard. He could see a few students here or there, a few in the air over the stadium and a couple in the lake with the squid, but overall it felt very abandoned.

"Harry watch out!" Harry heard Hermione cry, but only too late. The squid from the lake had splashed one of it's tentacles down and Harry once again found herself cursing at her sudden rotten luck. "What is it with getting splashed with water all the time now! I can't possibly be -this- unlucky!"

Ron and Hermione stayed quiet as Harry vented her anger in a rather vulgar vernacular. Even Ron was caught blushing by Harry's startling vocabulary. Hermione's jaw dropped.

Kicking at the ground in anger, Harry spun on her heels and marched at twice her previous speed in the direction of Hagrid's hut. She would just get warm water there, she decided.

Ron and Hermione followed behind silently, their animosity toward the other forgotten in genuine concern for Harry. Harry half-walking, half-storming made a b-line for Hagrid's hut all the while remaining dangerously quiet.

As she finally reached the door, she wrapped loudly causing Fang inside to give a loud and booming bark in response. Only moments later Hagrid opened the door his giant form staring down at the three teenagers. "All righ' then Ron, Hermione, err.." Hagrid paused noticing Harry. "Whose this pretty frien've yours?" He asked with a smile.

"Please don't call me that," Harry answered weakly, as Hagrid stood aside and the three entered his hut.

"This is Harry, Hagrid." Hermione confided as Harry went to the sink to get some warm water.

"Oh," Hagrid remarked, his expression clearly indicating how odd he thought for a girl to be named Harry.

Ron and Hermione didn't fail to miss the expression, though it was Ron who clarified. "Harry you know; Harry Potter, Hagrid. It's him."

"Er, beg yer pardon?" Hagrid asked skeptically, catching sight of a very small feminine shoulder protruding out of the large neck hole of Harry's shirt.

"Hermione can fill you in," Harry said as she began to run the water. "She knows more about it than me anyway."

At this Hermione explained to Hagrid the events of the previous day, causing the half-giant to arch a rather suspiciously bruised eyebrow. "So yer sayin' then tha' Harry can turn into a girl or boy, jus' at the splash of som' water?"

"That's pretty much it," Hermione confirmed, glad to be finished with her explanation.

"Hagrid, how long does this take to warm anyway?" Harry asked holding her hand under the running water from the faucet.

"Oh er, Yer probably wan'in ter warm some up on th' stove. Water hasn' been comin' out very warm lately, must be somethin' wrong with th' pipes. " Hagrid said still casting Harry a somewhat unbelieving look.

"Since when, yesterday?" Harry mumbled under her breath, feeling things seemed to have been curiously against her as of late.

After setting a kettle on the stove, Hagrid turned to Harry with a questioning glance. "You uh, don' mind if I get a good look at ya' do ya', er Harry?"

Harry shrugged her indifference and walked over to stand underneath one of Hagrid's lamps. Hagrid peered down intently for a few moments into Harry's face, before finally admitting, yep that's definitely Harry's eyes starin' out from behin' those glasses; remin' me of his mam. And er, course the scars kinda' a giveaway too."

"Harry your soaked," Hermione noted. "What's going to happen if that's not dry after you change back? I mean, will cold soggy clothes, cause you to change right back?… Here," Hermione added and with a wave of her wand Harry felt her clothes immediately dry.

"Thanks," Harry said. She hadn't considered the possibility her clothes alone could change her, and in her haste she had forgotten the spell to dry clothes anyway.

Finally something that had been bugging her since the last time she had visited with Hagrid got the better of her and Harry decided to try again and ask him about it. "Er Hagrid," Harry asked cautiously. "Your looking a bit worse then when we were last here, what's been going on?"

"Don' kno' what yer' goin' on abou' Harry. Nothin' wors' then me normal cuts and bruises. Rough job I keep after all, righ'?"

Harry could sense Hagrid was intentionally keeping something from them but not knowing how else to approach the situation, she dropped the matter for the time being.

"I bet the water's probably warm enough now, Harry," Ron said as he pointed to the steam rising from the kettle's spout.

Harry rose to fetch the kettle and poured a bit of the warm water into a cup to check and make sure it wasn't scalding. After determining it to be fine Harry up ended the entire cup over her head, same as she had earlier in the Gryfindor common room, and after a fraction of a second Harry realized he was back to being a he again. It seemed the change was nearly instantaneous, possibly too fast for the eyes to catch. It occurred to him that he had two eyewitnesses who had seen him change each time to ask.

They didn't hang around much longer before saying their good-byes to Hagrid and excusing themselves out the front door. Harry took the lead again, this time not as hurried to reach his destination. "So er, what exactly does it look like when I change?" He asked hesitantly.

"I really couldn't tell you," Ron answered. "One second your one gender, the next your another. I mean sure the loss or gain in height is noticeable, but it's so quick it's almost like a trick of the eyes."

"He's right," Hermione confirmed. "I haven't actually been able to catch the change; just before or after. It seems like its instant.

Harry nodded; this was what he had figured to be the case. Still, he was glad he didn't look like some freak morphing between the two genders.

They walked casually the rest of the way to the quiditch field, discussing random rather unimportant things. It was a nice change to not have much of anything serious to discuss. Hermione droned on about their upcoming O.W.L.'s, causing Ron to yawn his interest, which gained him a nasty look from her.

Harry guessed he owed a bit of the lessening of tension to his curse. Nobody wanted to talk much about other bad things in his presence when he was currently so preoccupied with one big one.

Sighing weakly, he considered the morning so far. He had told Hermione he had no intention of remaining a girl all weekend, but so far he was finding it difficult to keep this promise. The best he could hope for was his luck this morning had been some fluke and that once his week was up, he could return to having a normal 'boys' life. How hard could it possibly be to avoid a little cold water? He hadn't had problems with it in the past.

They finally reached the quiditch field, which was nearly barren of activity Harry noted as they entered the stadium and made a slow ascent up one of the elevated sets of bleachers. Had his broom not been seized and locked away by that toad of a woman Umbridge, Harry could've easily seen such an open inviting field a wonderful opportunity to cut loose and leave his troubles behind for the air. As it stood though he would simply have to settle himself a spectator.

Katie Bell, who had apparently sacrificed a trip to hogsmeade, circled the field watching over a young second year gryffindor Harry thought might be named Natalie. It seemed Katie was giving some flying pointers to the young girl, and teaching her some of the basics of quiditch. Harry longed to be out there with the two, and could almost feel the rush of wind against his cheeks as he imagined himself chasing the snitch.

The morning dragged on slowly, Harry leaning quite comfortably onto the bench behind him, watching the two gryffindor's fly freely about the field. Hermione and Ron sat to either side of him in mutual silence, neither one evidencing much interest in the scene before them. Harry, at one point suggested it might have been better had they gone on to hogsmeade without him, to which both were quick to deny any such thing, though he could hear otherwise in their voices.

As the morning sun rose higher in the sky Harry began to feel quite drowsy. His sleep last night had been troubled, and with the weight of the many things that had happened recently on his mind it was nice to finally have a moments reprieve. Harry's felt his eyes slide shut and was asleep within moments.

He wasn't sure how long he slept, but in his dreams he was flying-- no broom or hippogryph, just him with the sky all to himself. When he finally awoke it was to the soft cool pelts of rain that had seemingly come from nowhere. Katie and Natalie were absent from the field while Ron and Hermione appeared to be missing as well.

He was alone in the stadium-- or rather -she-, just her and the rain. Harry sat a while letting the cool droplets bounce off her skin washing the sweat that had formed while she slept. It felt rather pleasant, she thought. Despite the hassle of yet again switching her gender, Harry found the rain almost welcome-- a small mirror into her emotions.

Still leaning against the bench behind her Harry tilted her head back to stare into the downpour. The gray clouds rushed quickly overhead but seemed curiously resolute to continue their mild onslaught, despite having had such a clear morning. Harry didn't mind. At least alone it didn't matter so much, and the rain was comfortable.

It wasn't until the rain seemed to calm that Harry finally picked herself from the bench and began her march back to the castle. She had grown hungry and felt it was probably nearing lunch anyway.

Once at the castle, Harry entered in through the entrance hall and into the great hall where she found a scattered few people having lunch. She had thought to take yet another detour to fetch some warm water but her hunger had gotten the best of her. She was going to have to spend a week like this anyway, might as well get used to the idea.

She found Ron and Hermione finishing their lunch and sat opposite them at the gryffindor table. Ron and Hermione shared a significant look as they both took note Harry was once again a girl. Harry dismissed their reaction; she wasn't in the mood for explanations. "You guy's didn't wake me," Harry finally said flatly as she dug into her lunch.

"We tried," Hermione said carefully.

"Yeah," Ron agreed. "Tried several times in-fact mate, you told us to go on without you."

"I did?" Harry asked. "I don't remember-"

"Well you were half asleep," Hermione answered.

Harry shrugged her indifference, and continued her meal in silence. After a few moments Hermione said, "Harry, I've been thinking-- Doesn't it seem a bit odd to you that Snape could impose a detention on you that directly involved your house?"

Harry looked up from her meal, but said nothing as she considered what it was Hermione had said.

"Hey yeah," Ron said. "How is it that ponce can ban you from the boys dormitory in gryffindor if he's not the house head?"

"Language Ron," Hermione said annoyed, before resuming her line of thought. "I think we should see professor McGonagall. She can't possibly have allowed this."

Harry, who still hadn't said a thing, suddenly felt a small measure of hope. Of course! McGonagall couldn't possibly know about this! She would set Snape Straight! But… The more Harry thought on it, the more one thing still didn't make sense to her, if not McGonagall, who had cast the spell barring her from the boys' dormitory?

This question plagued her thoughts as she, Ron, and Hermione marched their way to McgonaGall's office after lunch. She hadn't mentioned her fear to either, hoping she was somehow wrong. But despite her own constant assurances that she was somehow mistaken, she couldn't shake the idea that somehow McGonagall already knew about everything.

It wasn't long before the trio found themselves standing outside professor McGonagall's office and Harry rapped loudly against the door. "Come in," came a faint reply, to which Harry pushed the door open and the three stepped inside.

Professor McGonagall was sitting behind her desk working through some papers, when her eyes snapped up to meet the three's entrance. "So, er Potter," she hesitated, "Mr. Weasley, Ms. Granger, to what do I owe the pleasure?"

Harry paused for a moment suddenly unsure how to progress before finally asking, "Professor, I was wondering if you had heard about Professor Snape's detention?"

"I certainly have Potter, and believe me if I had a say in this nonsense, it'd be put to a stop immediately. But as things stand, Umbridge is headmistress and I find myself virtually powerless in the matter."

"But Gryffindor is your house, isn't there something you can do? I mean he has me sleeping in the girls' dormitory."

Professor McGonagall suddenly seemed very tired, "That's not a part of your detention, Potter." She said flatly

Harry felt her spirit's lift. "So it was a lie then," Harry said relieved. "Professor Snape somehow put a spell in place banning me from the boys' dormitory."

"See that's what I was saying," Ron said cheerfully.

"You can undo his spell, right professor?" Harry asked.

Hermione's face darkened.

"You misunderstand me," Professor McGonagall, said. "Despite whatever Professor Snape may have implied, moving you to the girls' dormitory was not a punishment. It was an unfortunate necessity.

"What?" Harry said hollowly, feeling as though the ground had been ripped from beneath her feet.

"It wasn't an easy decision Potter, but we had to take the necessary precautions. What if you were splashed with cold water while in the boys' dorm? A girl sleeping in a room full of boy's simply will not do."

"What about the girl's dorm?" Harry protested. I could just as easily get splashed with warm water there."

"And the magic protecting that dorm from male intrusion will simply remove you from the dorm to the common room."

"Couldn't a spell just as easily be placed on the boy's dorm to have the same effects?"

"No Potter I'm afraid not. The situation was discussed at length already I'm afraid, and this was the decision reached. As long as you are cursed, you will remain in the girl's dorm."

"But that means this is permanent!" Harry protested.

"I'm sorry Potter, this was the decision reached and it is final, now if you will excuse me I have work to attend to."

Harry felt Hermione tug on her shirt, a gesture intended for her to follow, but Harry just couldn't accept it. This couldn't be it! She couldn't just roll over and take this! Was everyone mad! "This is madness!" She shouted in anger.

Mcgonagall's attention lifted again from her work, and despite her lips thinning, she seemed to sympathize. "I'm sorry Harry, but this has already been decided upon, and should you feel the need to hang about further, I'm sure I can find something for you to do to take your mind off of things."

Several retorts raced through Harry's mind but finally she let herself be pulled along by Hermione out the door, and back into the hallway.

Ron and Hermione stood silently waiting for Harry to say something. She was just getting so tired of this already. "Look," She finally said. "Just- just leave me alone for a while." Without a second glance, Harry turned and walked away from the two.


	10. wouldnt that be interesting

It was a strange bridge upon which Harry found himself seated. Much like Ron's families house, it seemed to be held together by magic, as there was no other explanation as to why it stood. A space in the railing where a few boards were knocked out allowed him to hang his feet over the edge while he watched as the sun made it's way below a patch of western mountains.

He had been there for the better part of the afternoon after parting ways with Ron and Hermione. Alone and in solace, Harry had spent his voluntary seclusion lost in thought. His world was a mixed blessing. Hanging between the balance of the muggle world and the wizard world, Harry was privy to insight on both sides, and he felt awkwardly out of place in both-- like a puzzle piece that almost fits but in the end is slightly misshapen.

There was no middle ground for him. He couldn't be 'just Harry'. He was either no one in the muggle world, or the center of attention in the wizard world. Just once it'd be nice to come to school at Hogwarts and go to his classes and play quiditch like any other student. No one trying to kill him, no Voldemort, no Umbridge, no article's in the Daily Prophet featuring him, just- him… Harry… a student at Hogwarts like any other. As a muggle-born, simply being a wizard was amazing enough; he didn't have to be a celebrity… Why was nothing ever simple?..

The sun had dropped behind the mountain peaks leaving a cast of fiery rays of red and orange reaching through the clouds shading the sky in a lovely shade of pink. The valley below however had already been swallowed in shadow and Harry knew it wouldn't be long before the final light was cast and the sky would fade to black, exposing the galaxies of stars' that hid behind the atmosphere during daylight.

Dinner would have already been well under way in the great hall, and Harry was sure that both Ron and Hermione were worried about him. He didn't exactly like the idea of worrying them, but he needed to be alone. Out here it was just him and his thoughts-- out here, he could be 'just Harry'.

- - - - - - -

It was approaching curfew when Harry emerged from Myrtle's bathroom once again-- this time female. Myrtle was thankfully absent, though as to where she had disappeared to Harry hadn't a clue.

It didn't take her long to find herself face to face with the fat-lady to whom she whispered the password and carefully let herself in through the entrance to the Gryffindor common room. Only a couple of people still occupied the dimly lit room, both using the light of the great hearth to finish what looked like a bit of homework. Harry couldn't tell if they had even seen her, but given what little light they had, she doubted much if they could even make out who she was should they have cared.

She passed by without hesitation up the stairs to the girls' dorms and up the spiral staircase to her new room, and without a second thought pushed her way inside. What she found made her nearly miss a step. The room was occupied… At her entrance, the eyes of three girl's getting ready for bed met her own. Ginny Weasley, Katie Bell, and the young second year who had flown with her earlier, Natalie… Natalie McDonald Harry thought was her name. "I'm sorry-" Harry said hesitantly. "I, uh- must've come to the wrong room."

Harry backpedaled through the door she had just come through, feeling a little embarrassed, until she heard, "Harry!"

Harry poked her head back through the door and found Hermione's head sticking out from behind the curtains of a four-poster. "This -is- you're room," she said with a vaguely concealed smile.

Harry's attention bounced uncertainly to each of the faces she was certain were not there the night before.

"Were your new roomies," Ginny smiled.

"That is, until you try to molest us like you did Lavender last night," Katie giggled.

Harry's eyes widened and she found herself stammering as she searched for the right words, "That was- I mean, I didn't… It was an accident! I mean not an accident to molest Lavender, because I didn't… Obviously, I mean… It was a misunderstanding and-"

All four of the girls began laughing heartily, "Harry," Ginny said through her elation. "She's just joking! We know you didn't molest Lavender," she gave another burst of laughter.

"Well that's good," Harry said, not finding the joke. "Because I didn't you know!"

The laughter carried for a moment more before the girl's finally settled down and Hermione turned her attention on Harry, "Professor McGonagall had to find room for the three who left last night, apparently they feel a little awkward sharing a room with you, girl or no."

"And you three?" Harry asked of her new roommates.

"The situation is a bit strange," Katie admitted. "But we've flown enough together for you to have my trust."

"I'd sleep with you even as a boy," Ginny said a bit prematurely, only just realizing what she had said. Her eyes went wide as the three other girls burst into a fit of laughter. "I didn't mean you know- like that. I was just saying I trust Harry! You know what I mean!" Ginny shouted indignantly.

"Oh yeah," Katie said wiping the tears from her eyes. "We know -exactly- what you mean!"

Harry felt a blush at the implications, despite however out of context they may be. Once the laughter again began to die, Harry turned her attention to the girl Natalie. "And you?" She asked, leaving her question hanging.

Natalie smiled faintly "I just want to see how it all turns out." She said enigmatically.

"How what turns out?" Harry asked puzzled.

"Oh you know- 'just want to see what happens. Exciting things seem to happen around you."

"Yes thrilling," Harry said sarcastically.

"Well you wanted to know," The second year stated flatly.

I did at that, Harry thought silently. At least the three girl's seemed fine with these new sleeping arangements. Harry hoped they could get around as much awkwardness as possible, otherwise she didn't see herself sleeping very well for the remainder of the year.

Finally she turned her attention on Hermione. Having heard the other three girl's assurances, she remembered that she hadn't actually ever heard how Hermione felt about all this. "What about you?" She asked simply.

"What do you mean, 'what about me'?" Hermione asked honestly.

"Yeah, what about you Hermione," Katie asked. "We never got your opinion."

"Harry's my friend," Hermione answered simply. "I guess you could say I'm with Ginny."

"Oh so you'd sleep with Harry as a boy?" Katie snickered. Ginny's eyes narrowed.

"Wouldn't that be interesting," Hermione said blankly, before finally adding, "Well then, good night," and pulling her curtains shut.

The three girls exchanged slightly stunned expressions, but Harry was certain that behind her curtains Hermione was having a silent laugh at their expense. At least-- she hoped...


End file.
